We broke down 24 breakout forward candidates in girls prep earlier this week. Naturally, it's time to take a look at which defenders could have big years.
Of course, there are many more breakout candidates than just the players mentioned here. These players simply caught my eye over the past year or so.
Again, let's take note of our criteria.
First, I didn’t list any skater who scored over 20 points last season. Second, how do we define a breakout? The way I looked at it: these are players who have stood out on the club circuits and shown well in prep, but their best (or at least most productive) prep hockey may still be in store. For that reason, a college commitment didn’t preclude a player from being mentioned. There are a handful of college commits mentioned in this story whose best prep hockey is still ahead of them.
Here are 22 defenders who could break out in prep this season. A separate story will be done on goalies.
Emma Burke, St. Paul's | D
Burke (Braintree, Mass.), who was a standout blue-liner in the MIAA over the last two seasons at Notre Dame (Hingham), will make the jump to prep this season. The 5-foot-9 defender moves well and does a great job of using her size and reach to her advantage in the defensive and neutral zones. The '10 also has a heavy shot from the point. A standout with the Boston Jr. Eagles 16Us, Burke impressed at Mass. Hockey Festival in the spring.
Joelle Burns, Rivers | D
Burns (Winchester, Mass.) was one of the younger skaters in prep last season, putting up two assists as an eighth-grader on Rivers' back end. The '10 is a gamer, though, not backing down from older or bigger competition. She plays above her size, makes good decisions with the puck and reads the neutral zone well. She was impressive each time I caught the Premier Prep League over the summer.
Karli Charron, Choate | D
Charron (Darien, Conn.) was one of Choate's top producers as a freshman blue-liner last season, putting up eight points (two goals). A standout with 16U Mid Fairfield, Charron has good size (5-foot-8) as well as good mobility. She's able to lead transition effectively and has a good stick defensively.
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Sienna DeAngelis, Phillips Andover | D
DeAngelis has a chance to make an immediate impact on Phillips Andover's blue line, entering prep as a junior. The uncommitted '08 was one of the top skaters in New Jersey high school hockey last season, leading the state with 49 goals (including 10 hat tricks) for Trinity Hall. DeAngelis has been a standout with the 19U East Coast Wizards, too, impressing with her skating and offensive instincts.
Ava Decourcey, Nobles | D
OK, I'm bending the criteria here a little bit. Decourcey (Rockland, Mass.) had 11 points (four goals) for Nobles last season, but she previously had over 20 points two years ago when she put up 24 (16 goals) for Tilton. Either way, Decourcey has a chance to have a huge year at Nobles after adjusting to her new digs last winter. The Yale commit was one of the best skaters I saw throughout the spring and summer. The Assabet standout was dynamic, played with a ton of confidence and found another level with her shot.
Sienna Glass, Phillips Andover | D
Glass (Andover, Mass.) has made good strides from the end of last season to now. Last winter, she had two goals and two assists after putting up four assists as a freshman. Glass impressed with the 16U Wizards and at Mass. Hockey Festival with her quick decision-making and ability to defend the rush. She'll be a big part of Andover's group of four juniors on the back end.
Keira Gould, Williston Northampton | D
Gould had just four points (one goal) for Williston last season, but it's safe to expect that output to jump in her sophomore campaign. She was one of the top 16U defenders at USA Hockey Nationals in the spring, leading all blue-liners in scoring with six points (five goals). She defended well with a good stick, clogging lanes, and she was a strong offensive presence both on the power play and at 5-on-5. She can shift up to forward when needed, too, which offers the Wildcats plenty of versatility.
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Caroline Harrington, Cushing | D
Harrington could be a big part of the Penguins' new-look blue line this season, which will feature several sophomores. As a freshman, she had nine points (two goals) from the back end. She's had a good fall with 16U Assabet, too. The '09, who stands at 5-foot-7, makes good reads, anticipates and does a good job of holding the offensive blue line.
Maddy Humber, St. Paul's | D
Humber (Concord, Mass.) had a great season as a freshman at St. Paul's, putting up 15 points (three goals). She could be even better as a sophomore. One of the top '10s at Mass. Hockey Festival in the spring, Humber, who is 5-foot-9, is a strong skater for her size, able to push the pace in transition, and she can make an impact in all three zones.
Roxie Merrick, New Hampton | D
Merrick is a ton of fun to watch. She had just four points (two goals) on a deep, experienced New Hampton squad last year. This season, she has a shot at being one of their top blue-liners. The sophomore has had a good fall with the 16U Valley Jr. Warriors, playing with a ton of energy and impacting each shift. New Hampton is eager to see what added strength and explosiveness can do for her this time around.
Blake Metcalf, Cushing | D
Metcalf (Scarborough, Maine) is another key piece to Cushing's crop of sophomore blue-liners. She had one goal and one assist for the Penguins last year, but showed well at the Premier Prep League throughout the summer. Metcalf played assertively, had a heavy shot and made heads-up plays with the puck. The '10 is likely to have plenty of minutes this season.
Serena Mohsen, BB&N | D
That Mohsen (Newton, Mass.) saw a fair amount of playing time on a senior-heavy BB&N squad last season says a lot about her potential, posting seven assists as an eighth-grader on a blue line that had three Division 1 commits leading the way. The Knights expect her to be a crucial part of the team this season. Her size and strength help that outlook.
Kamryn Moors, Taft | D
Moors (Simsbury, Conn.) is making the jump to prep. She's shown well with the 14U Hartford Jr. Wolfpack and 16U Mid Fairfield over the last two fall seasons. The '10 limits plays to middle ice in the defensive and neutral zones, using her long reach to her advantage. She's also a strong penalty killer and plays with her head up in transition.
Lizzie Orszulak, Loomis Chaffee | D
Orszulak could have a chance at more ice alongside her defense partner from last season, fellow junior Alexine Beaulieu (Hudson, N.H.), after Loomis graduated Catie Collins (South Burlington, Vt.). Orszulak (Longmeadow, Mass.) had two assists last season after posting three as a freshman. The '09 was one of the better defenders at Mass. Hockey Festival in the spring, handling forechecking pressure well in the defensive zone, spinning off body contact and protecting pucks.
PREP PREVIEWS: Nobles | Exeter | Cushing | Tabor | Groton | New Hampton | Andover | Dexter Southfield | BB&N | Williston Northampton | Loomis Chaffee | Thayer
Chloe Rabazzi, Dexter Southfield | D
Rabazzi (Burlington, Mass.) enters prep after standing out with the 14U and 16U Boston Jr. Eagles and Burlington High. She could have a chance at key ice time right away, too, after Dexter graduated three key defenders from last season's squad. Rabazzi was one of the top '10s at Mass. Hockey Festival in the spring, too. She has the physical tools to fit in as a younger player in prep, too. She defends with good gaps, gets into shooting lanes and plays with confidence offensively.
Shea Richardson, Thayer | D
Richardson (Hingham, Mass.) is making the jump to prep after two standout seasons with Hingham High, winning a state title as a sophomore last winter. She had 31 points (eight goals) last season after 16 points (five goals) the year prior. The '08 was consistently an effective puck-mover, identifying skating lanes and generating good exits and entries.
Grace Riley, Phillips Exeter | D
Count Riley in a similar boat as Decourcey. The senior's dynamic talent needs no introduction. She's one of the top defenders I've seen throughout the fall, thanks to dominant efforts with the 19U Valley Jr. Warriors. The UConn commit had 14 points (four goals) for Exeter last season. On a team with plenty of high-flying returners, including Riley leading the blue line, it's a safe bet to think that production will jump this season.
McKenna Ruland, Milton Academy | D
Ruland has a shot at a premier role for the Mustangs after top blue-liner Susannah Ward (Dedham, Mass.) graduated. A standout with the 16U Mass. Spitfires, Ruland is dynamic with the puck, effectively skating it up ice and creating plays offensively. Her skating allows her to defend well in transition, too.
Clara Ryan, Milton Academy | D
Entering her sophomore year at Milton, Ryan (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) impressed in all three zones with the Spitfires in the summer and in the fall. Her size (5-foot-7) and strength allow her to defend well down low, protect pucks and win battles. She also has a knack for making impact plays in the offensive zone.
Layla Smart, Tabor | D
Smart and her twin Genevieve, a forward, come to Tabor as repeat freshmen. The former, a 5-foot-5 blue-liner, showed well with the Boston Jr. Eagles 16Us earlier this fall, making smart plays and defending 1-on-1s well. She did a good job on the power play and knew when to take her chances leading the rush, too.
Ali Sprissler, Kimball Union | D
Sprissler (Beverly, Mass.) had her best season yet as a junior with 13 points (seven goals) last winter, and the Trinity commit could be even better for KUA as a senior. A standout with the 19U Boston Americans, Sprissler is an active presence on the blue line, skating with her head up and finding open lanes.
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Aislin VanVliet, BB&N | D
VanVliet (Boston, Mass.) will be a big part of BB&N's new-look blue line this season after posting three goals and five assists as a sophomore. She impressed at Mass. Hockey Festival in the spring, as well as this fall with the Bay State Breakers. The uncommitted '08 knows when to jump into the play, has a good stick in the neutral zone and has good awareness in the face of forechecking pressure.
